Summer vacation has come to an end and Maya is looking forward to her first day in middle school. Jeanine and I wait with Maya for the bus.

This evening I shot senior portraits for Kyle and Hannah. These are my personal favorites but the final selections will be made by them.

This morning I fitted Jeanine’s new car with a towing hitch so that we can attach our bike carrier. I was very pleased with the results and I know this addition will be put to good use immediately. I then drove to Schenectady in the Smart Car to visit with my parents. My father continues to struggle with health issues caused by his progressing congestive heart failure. After a very nice dinner we all enjoyed a walk through my mother’s Japanese style gardens before sitting down to a conversation which turned to end of life planning. It is not easy to talk about death with a loved one. At the same time, it was so worthwhile to understand my father’s idea of a good death and for him to realize that he has a voice in deciding what that will look like. Whether he has 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 decades left I am very pleased that he has embraced the idea of planning for a graceful death on his own terms.

On the way home we stopped off in Newburyport where we had a rather disappointing diner at a locally recommended Mexican restaurant called Agave’s. The people here are a little stiff but otherwise it is a very quaint and friendly place.

After a productive morning of organizing around the house, Jeanine and I took advantage of the perfect afternoon and drove to Plum Island where we hiked a couple of the nature trails and discovered the island’s namesake. We finished our visit to the wildlife refuge napping on the beach enjoying the dramatic wave action caused by the recent passage of Hurricane Earl.

Kyle, sporting a new haircut, and his buddies were attracted by the aroma of the broth Jeanine was cooking so we gathered them in for the last shot of the day.

Jeanine is putting the finishing touches on her professional web site and asked me to take a picture of her cooking. We had a lot of fun doing the project.

My Audi A3 sold for the asking price yesterday and today I am feeling a little seller’s remorse. It has been one of my favorite cars but it had reached the age when the financially prudent thing to do was sell. I am in no rush to find its replacement as I really enjoy driving the Smart Car. I am still leaning towards another A3 but have decided to keep an open mind and consider other options.